Vehicle-wheel.



`K. C. LAUGHLIN. I VEHICLE WHEEL. y APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 1, 1910.

Patented July 11,1911.

(g1/L vente@ KERN C. LAUGHLIN, OF HIGH BRIDGE, KENTUCKY.

VEHICLE-WHEEL.

Spectcationof Letters Patent.

Application filed June 1, 1910. Serial No. 564,533. 'l

'lo all whom it may conefrn:

Be it known that` I. Keim (l. LAi'ciiLiN. :r citizen of the United States. residing at i l i High 'lli-idge. in the county of .lessaniine` volve a substantial and du able structure and brace the rim portion against lateral strain.

The invention consists of the novel features, details of construction and conibination of parts, which hereinafter will bemore particularly set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointedout in` the amuended claim.

Referring to the drawing. forming a part of the appication, Figure 1 is a side View of a vehicle wheel embodying the invention, parts being broken away. Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line afi-.fe of Fig. 1. Fig. 3

is a plan view of one of the` cross heads.-

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail on the line 4-4 of lFig. 1. 4

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description. and indicated in all the views of the drawing, by the The wheel embodies inner and outer porsecured at their ends both to the hub and rim 2. The several parts of t'bel inner portion of the wheel may be of any construction. Guide rods 4 are secured at'. their inner ends to the hub 1 and at their outer ends to the rim 2 and are located intermediate of the spokes 3. The r.guide rods 4 pass through openings in the. rim 2 and their outer ends aie threaded and re'-ei.'e nuts `.Vhile the primary inte'nt.- of the guide rods 4 is to support cross heads t3 andsprings 7 and 8 it is also understood that said guide rods also act as ties to hold the rim 2 and spokes 3 in proper position with reference to one another aild the hub 1.

'I`he outer portion of the wheel consists of a telly or i'nn i) and spokes lt). the run E bei ing ot' any construction and receiving a tire 1l either of rubber, metal or other material. 'l'he spokes l() are pivotally connected at their outer ends tothe riin t) and pass through openings 12 in the rim 2 and are connected at their inner ends to the cross heads t3. which are slidably mounted upon the guide rods 4. 'l`he rim E) is provided upon its inner side with sockets ,13 to which the outer ends of the spokes-10 are pivotally connected. The cross heads t3 are bifurt ated at, their ends and receive the inner ends of the spokes 10 between the bifurcations to which they are pivotally connected. Each cross head (i is provided at a middle pointI with an opening 14, through which a guide rod 4f passes. The openings 12 in the inner rim 2 are elongated circumferentially and are formed-with parallel sides. which engage opposite sides of the spokes 11'). thereby preventing any lateral play of said spokes 1() or the outer poition of the wheel. By having the openings 12 elongated circumferentially the rim l-is permitted to have a limited circumferential movement, which is of advantage in overcoming torsional strain. The spokes 10 consist of tiat bars which taper slightly throughout their length and are provided at their ends with-eyes to receive the pins or like fastenings by means of which they are pivotally connected to the cross heads and the outer rim or felly 9. The spokes are arranged with their wider ends outermost, so as to sustain lateral strain and to give greater stability to the wheel.

The springs 7 and 8 are of helical lform and expansible and are mounted upon the guide rods 4 upon opposite sides of the cross heads 6. Tn practice the inner springs T are subjected to compression when sustaining the load and the outer springs 8 are likewise subjected under like condition-i to compression. the. inner springs being compressed when below the buh and the, outer springs being compressed when above the hub. llates 15 inclose the inner portion of the wheel and preventI foreign matter intel'- feriiig with lthe free. action of the springs and cross heads. The plates 15 are slipped upon end portions of the vhub 1 and are bolted or otherwise secured to the inner i'iin Q.

Froni'the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing,

Patented July Il. 1911.

the advantages or the construction and of the method of operation Will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to Which. the invention appertains, and While I have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the device Which I now consider to he the embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claim appended hereto.

Having thus'deseribed the invention What is claimed as new, is

A vehicle wheel comprising a hub, an inner rim -provided at intervals with openings circuinferentially elongated, spokes connecting the innerl rim with the hub, guide rods supported at their ends by means of the hub and inner rim,- cross heads, slidably mounted upon the rods, springs mounted upon the guide rods and located upon opposite sides of the cross heads between them and the hub and inner rim, an outer rim, and spokes passed through the elongated openings of the inner rim and having their outer ends pivotally connected tol the outer rim and their inner ends pivotally connected to the ends of said cross heads.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

i KERN o. LAUeHLiN. Witnesses M. O. DEVER, JAMES R. IDORMAN. 

